Sunday 17 September 2017 saw 120 cadets from the Nottingham Squadrons of the Royal Air Force Air Cadets (RAFAC) attend St Mary’s Church on High Pavement Nottingham as they have annually over the past 77 years in order to pay respect to those airmen of the RAF who fought in the 1940 Battle of Britain.
The ancient church has seen many military acts of remembrance over the centuries and as the generation of 1940 approach their twilight this act of commemoration and remembrance for the famous Few of RAF Fighter Command becomes even more essential in the nations memory.
Along with cadets from other squadrons, 14 cadets from 1359 (Beeston) Sqn were formed into 4 flights and braced themselves for the commands which were to begin their proud march through the City. In the spirit which Winston Churchill fostered in his 1940 speech in which he said “Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duty”, the parade proceeded towards the Old Market Square led by the drums of the Nottinghamshire Army Cadet Force and the massed banners of the RAFAC and RAF Association.
Sir John Peace, Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of the County of Nottinghamshire took the salute and shortly after along with the Sheriff and Lord Mayor of Nottingham carried out an inspection.
Parade Warrant Officer WO (ATC) Rob Phillips said, “Our cadets carried out an important act of remembrance today, not only for the pilots of RAF Fighter Command, but also their equally important colleagues in RAF Bomber Command who together held off the real spectre of German invasion in 1940. The RAFAC followed in the finest traditions of the parent service and truly represented the memory of RAF personnel who were stationed in the many RAF airfields surrounding Nottingham. I am very proud of their hard work and commitment.”
WO (ATC) Rob Phillips
1359 (BEESTON) Sqn ATC